Nigeria women’s 400m hurdles record holder, Ajoke Muizat Odumosu has been upgraded from 2012 Olympics 400m hurdles eighth place to seventh by World Athletics after Russia’s Natalya Antyukh failed to appeal her recent retroactive disqualification for doping.
According to the Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, Antyukh’s victory in the event has now been officially disqualified.
The AIU says on its website it ‘notified the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of this action – taken by World Athletics’ Competition Department – following no
appeal by the Russian athlete of her ban, on 21 October this year, for the use of a Prohibited Substance/Method; an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (Article 2.2 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules; ADR).’
‘The IOC may now proceed with the reallocation of medals and the update of the IOC database,’ noted the AIU’s correspondence.
The IOC press office has however responded, saying the reallocation of medals is not automatic.
‘The reallocation of medals is not automatic. As a general rule, each reallocation is submitted to the IOC [Executive Board] for approval once the athletes/teams sanctioned have exhausted all their remedies of appeal and when all procedures are closed.’
Antyukh ran 52.70 to win the gold in the event’s final but was later disqualified while Odumosu came in last.
Odumosu made history as the first and so far the only Nigerian woman to run in the final of the event at the Olympics. She achieved this by making history as the first Nigerian 400m barrier runner to run inside 55 seconds in the event.
This she achieved when she ran a new 54.40 Nigerian record to her semifinal heat.
Meanwhile, USA’s Lashinda Demus will be upgraded to gold while Zuzana Hejnová of the Czech Republic will be moved from third to second and Jamaican Kaliese Spencer from fourth to third.
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